In Preaching Articles: "Small Church Growth"

What 500 Churches Discovered About Making Sunday The Best Day Of The Week

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 4, 2019

"I discovered that Americans need someone to give them permission to rest weekly."

Tags: Preaching

4 Steps To A Friendlier Church (The G.i.f.t. Plan)

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 16, 2021

Genuine friendships are becoming more rare – and thus, of greater perceived value – than any other aspect of modern church life.

Tags: relationships, Friendliness, Friendship New Friends, Equipping Disciples

Seven Commitments Of Renewal Every Church Leader Should Make For A New Year

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2022

I see the New Year as a time for recommitment and re-focus. And though it is simply the changing of the page of a calendar, it is still a good time to be reminded about those areas that are most important in our lives.

Tags: Outreach, New Year, simplify, daily prayer

Deal-Breakers: 7 Ways God May Tell A Pastor To Leave A Church

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 18, 2022

Long-term pastorates are almost always good for the church and the pastor. But when these things happen, it's time to go.

Tags: Discernment, Resignation, Knowing God's Will, church ministry

Your Struggling Church Can Turn Around Today – But Greatness Takes Time

By Karl Vaters on Aug 23, 2023

If you’re pastoring a church that has or is turning around, here's some great news - and possibly your greatest challenge.

Scripture: Revelation 21:5

Tags: leadership, renewal, patience, Church Health, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

How To (Finally) Stop Giving In To The Pressure To Add More Ministries In Your Church

By Carey Nieuwhof on Sep 27, 2023

When you’re a church leader, you feel a lot of pressure.

Tags: focus, Simplicity, Church Body of Christ, ministry philosophy

Learning From Our 1,000-Visitor Weekend

By Hal Seed on Mar 5, 2025

Hal Seed offers his experience and learnings from a very successful Sunday morning event in his church.

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Preaching, program, Invitation, Visitors, Evangelism How To, Market, evangelism, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

Daring To Preach The Same Message Twice

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 17, 2024

Joe McKeever dares you to consider re-preaching a topic--or even a sermon--to your congregation.

Tags: Preaching, Homiletics, Church Practices, preaching

Pastors: The Ceo Has To Go

By Derek Vreeland on Aug 24, 2023

I feel the impulse to forsake the pastoral vocation of word and sacrament, prayer and disciple-making, in favor of becoming a CEO who gets things done.

Tags: liturgy, Theology, church and business, consumerism

Heads Up, Eyes Open, Everyone Looking Around Weekend Invitations

By Dean Hawk on Aug 3, 2023

I’m curious. When and where did ministers first begin asking people to bow their heads, close their eyes, and secretly raise their hand in a church service if they wanted to accept Jesus? Why do we feel like we need to sneak people into heaven?

Tags: Salvation, gospel invitation, Empowered churches

Passion, Prayer, And Planning Ministry: Building The Nehemiah Way

By Todd Brown on Mar 11, 2022

Working with hundreds of churches over the last 35 years, I have observed three common elements of successful building programs and all three are characteristics displayed by quality leaders.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:13

Tags: Nehemiah, Prayer, strategy, Church Building

The Power Of Concentration For Doing A Little More

By Brandon Cox on Sep 21, 2023

I believe that most of us can do more, need to do less, and that it’s possible to do more and less at the same time.

Tags: priorities, focus, energy, church leadership

How To Stop Flirting With Sin

By Chad Ashby on Nov 14, 2022

Brothers and sisters, “As long as it is called ‘today,’ [be sure] that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin!” (Hebrews 3:13)

Scripture: Judges 16:1-31, Matthew 5:29, Judges 16:4-5, Matthew 7:13, 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipline, Abide in Christ, personal holiness, fighting ungodliness, fighting sin, God's Grace, Personal Growth, Know the Truth  (view more)  (view less)

New Year, New Adjective: "Christ-Exalting”

By John Piper on Dec 27, 2022

My aim here is to encourage you to make “Christ-exalting” the featured adjective in your prayers. Let me explain what I mean. Then I’ll give you three reasons why I think this would be a great New Year’s resolution.

Scripture: Philippians 1:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Tags: Personal Growth, exalting christ, daily prayer, new years, Christ Centered, New Years Resolution, Prayer, Resolution  (view more)  (view less)

The Greatest Gift You Give Your Team- Part 1

By Lance Witt on Jul 11, 2024

This week work at paying attention to your soul. Listen to your emotions. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what is going on beneath the surface of all your “doing”.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:1, John 16:32, John 16:32

Tags: Approval, personal holiness, Growth in Christ, pastoral leadership, God's Approval, Guarding your heart, motives, soul care  (view more)  (view less)